What do Celine Dion, Wolfgang Puck and the late Sheldon Adelson have in common?
They are all members of the Gaming Hall of Fame, now accepting nominees for its Class of 2021.
Established in 1989, the Gaming Hall of Fame honors people who have made substantial contributions to the gaming industry. The Hall is a who’s who of gaming professionals, including father and son Bennie and Jack Binion, who helped popularize the World Series of Poker; William Harrah, founder of the gambling empire that bears his name; and Sam Boyd and his son Bill, founders of Boyd Gaming.
The hall also honors entertainers. Frank Sinatra is a member, as are magician David Copperfield and comedian Don Rickles. Boxing impresario Don King and former Nevada senator Harry Reid also are inductees.
There was no class last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s class will be the first since 2019, when Elaine Hodgson, co-founder, president, and CEO of Incredible Technologies; Stanley Mallin, real estate, hotel, and casino developer; and Ernie Moody, president of Action Gaming and creator of Triple Play Poker, were selected.
“It’s been one of the most challenging years in our industry’s history,” said American Gaming Association President Bill Miller in a statement. “Through it all, I have remained in awe of the those who have led the way and the trailblazers who have put an indelible mark on gaming. We recognize these types of leaders every year through the Gaming Hall of Fame. The AGA is currently inviting nominations from across the industry, and we look forward to celebrating this year’s inductees in October.”
Nominations are being accepted until July 11, when the AGA will compile a list of submissions to be reviewed by an independent panel of gaming executives. The new class will be inducted October 5 at Global Gaming Expo.
The nomination page can be found here.
